Minnesota Twins Catcher Predicted to Decline Potential Qualifying Offer

The Minnesota Twins could face a difficult decision with backstop Ryan Jeffers this offseason. Twins reporter Aaron Gleeman identified the catcher as a possible qualifying offer candidate, though he noted it is far from certain Minnesota will make the offer and even less likely Jeffers would accept it.

Gleeman outlined the situation in his Twins offseason outlook. Jeffers is seemingly a prime candidate for the qualifying offer, which the Twins previously used in 2019 on Jake Odorizzi, who accepted, and in 2023 on Sonny Gray, who declined.

Jeffers gave Minnesota plenty of reasons to consider keeping him on a one-year deal. He hit .256 with a .353 on-base percentage and an .814 OPS, adding 14 home runs and 56 RBIs across 92 games.

Those numbers came despite missing nearly two months after fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand in May and undergoing surgery. He landed on the injured list May 19th and returned July 10th, interrupting what had been one of his best offensive seasons.

The 29-year-old has now hit 82 home runs with 279 RBIs across seven major-league seasons, all spent in Minnesota. Catchers who can contribute offensively at that level are extremely hard to find. He may be the only one who can play at this level on the open market this winter which gives Jeffers a ton of leverage entering the open market. The Twins will certainly have to pay to keep him.

Minnesota finished 77-85 and third in the American League Central, eight games behind the division-winning Cleveland Guardians. The Twins have missed the playoffs for three straight years.

Now they have to decide how much they are willing to commit to a catcher who produced at a high level when available but lost a big portion of the year to injury.

The qualifying offer gives the club a way to keep Jeffers for one more season while potentially receiving draft pick compensation if he declines and signs elsewhere.

Minnesota has used the tool before with mixed results. Odorizzi accepted in 2019 and gave the Twins value. Gray declined in 2023 and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Jeffers does seem far more likely to follow Gray's path and test the market, as Gleeman said.

If he does decline, Minnesota would need to find another option behind the plate. They do have Victor Caratini but he cannot handle a full workload. They would also receive draft compensation. If he accepts, the Twins get another year of a proven offensive catcher on a one-year deal.